Statement by the Chairman of the Board
Dear Members of the Lebanese American University Community,
I have now returned from my visit to Lebanon during which I had the opportunity to spend time on both of our beautiful campuses, and to meet and engage with many of you, including faculty, students, staff, and the Administration. I am inspired by the energy, dedication and passion demonstrated by all those I met, gratified by the sense that we are all embarked on a common mission, and thankful for the warm reception you gave me during my visit.
A major topic of discussion during my visit was the establishment of a Search Committee to find a successor to our beloved President, Dr. Joseph Jabbra, when he steps down at the end of September, 2020. I say “successor” because Dr. Jabbra can never be “replaced” - he has transformed Lebanese American University into a major power in the field of higher education in Lebanon, the Middle East and beyond. He has been President, mentor and friend to us all. The platform of excellence that he has built, and will add to over the remaining two years of his term, will be his legacy, and the framework from which his successor can bring LAU to new levels of achievement.
The most solemn duty of the Board of Trustees is to appoint the next Lebanese American University President, and I promise you that we will carry out this duty meticulously. The Search Committee has been appointed and has already met to begin developing a leadership profile and criteria for selection. We have chosen as our partner in this effort the executive search firm, Witt/Kieffer International, to assist us in the process. Representatives from Witt/Kieffer International will be in Beirut in early December to meet with LAU constituents to gather input regarding LAU’s strengths, the opportunities and challenges facing the next president, and the qualities, credentials and experience the next president should demonstrate to attain our expectations.
On behalf of the Search Committee, I would like to thank all members of the Lebanese American University community in advance for your interest in and support of the search process. We are committed to ensuring the search process is as thoughtful, wide-reaching, and rigorous as possible with outstanding results. As Board and Search Committee Chair, I will endeavor to ensure that the LAU community receives regular updates and communication as the search progresses. We have launched a presidential search page on the LAU web-site where you can find out more. We also encourage you to contact our consultants, Lucy Leske and Natalie Derry of Witt/Kieffer International, at the following address if you have any questions or suggestions of potential candidates:
PresidentLAU@wittkiefferinternational.com
As we begin our work, I am confident our collective efforts will result in a talented pool of candidates and the selection of a president well equipped to lead the university successfully into the future.
Sincerely,
Peter Tanous
Chairman of the Board